Illinois bowler makes 50th appearance at USBC Open Championships
March 31, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Family and friends helped to make Lonnie Netzel’s 50th appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships a special one Saturday at the National Bowling Stadium.
Netzel, of Kankakee, Illinois, was joined in his ceremonial march to the lanes by his sons, Bradley and Cody, as he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate his achievement. His wife, Sandy, also celebrated the milestone while cheering from the stands.
“My wife and boys are here, and that’s the most important thing to me,” Netzel said. “For my oldest son (Bradley), it’s his first national tournament. My younger son (Cody) has bowled a couple of times with me in Las Vegas and Syracuse. It’s exciting to have them by my side.
“If it wasn’t for my wife, I wouldn’t be here. She would watch the kids. They came a few times when they were little, but as they got older and started doing more things, it became tough for them to come out. I’m glad she was able to come to this one with the boys.”
Saturday’s moment for Netzel also was amplified by the setting in Reno.
“Reno is cool because we had seen it first in a movie – ‘Kingpin’ – and it’s always fun to tell people that’s where we bowled at,” Netzel said. “And, it’s always nice to march down the center aisle. I’m glad 50 happened here.”
Netzel made his debut at the Open Championships during the 1975 event in Dayton, Ohio.
Word of the tournament made it his way, and he’s made it to all but one edition of the Open Championships since his start.
“I bowled in our local leagues and tournaments, and then I heard a group of guys talking about how they were going to the national tournament,” said Netzel, a member of the Kankakee USBC Hall of Fame. “I thought I’d like to do that, too. We bowled in Dayton, and after we were done with that, we went down to Cincinnati to bowl the Hoinke. I thought it was pretty cool, so I kept going. It started as bowling and a vacation, and I’ve looked forward to it every year.”
On the lanes, the 72-year-old has posted his fair share of strong sets at the tournament. His top series took place during the 1986 event in Las Vegas (676 in the team event), and his top showing in all-events was in Wichita, Kansas, during the 1989 Open Championships (1,880).
“This tournament makes you concentrate on your bowling,” Netzel said. “You think you’re good in league, and then you come here and realize it’s a little tougher. We’ve had some good tournaments. They’ve all been exciting and fun, and we have a good time no matter what.”
There was some additional excitement each day for Netzel and his group, too. On Saturday, one of the three teams in Netzel’s group – Cinderella Shoes – took over the lead in Standard Team with a 2,895 total.
Netzel joined in on the striking Sunday, making his own run at the top 10 in Standard Singles. After beginning the set with 193, Netzel rolled strikes on seven of his first eight deliveries in Game 2 to finish with 246. He closed with 212 for a 651 series and currently sits in 12th place.
“Those are the guys I bowl with all the time, so it’s exciting to see them up there,” Netzel said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie in this group, and a lot of those guys came back for my 50th. I really appreciate everything those guys do, cheering me on like that.”
He enjoys playing competitive softball when he’s not on the lanes, but Netzel doesn’t plan to slow down at the Open Championships, either.
“Every five years is a plaque, so we’ll just keep building it up,” Netzel said. “As long as I have my health, that’s the key. If I can stay healthy, I’ll keep bowling because I love to bowl.”
With his 50th appearance concluded, Netzel now has a career pinfall of 80,784 for an average of 183.1 at the Open Championships.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Netzel, of Kankakee, Illinois, was joined in his ceremonial march to the lanes by his sons, Bradley and Cody, as he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate his achievement. His wife, Sandy, also celebrated the milestone while cheering from the stands.
“My wife and boys are here, and that’s the most important thing to me,” Netzel said. “For my oldest son (Bradley), it’s his first national tournament. My younger son (Cody) has bowled a couple of times with me in Las Vegas and Syracuse. It’s exciting to have them by my side.
“If it wasn’t for my wife, I wouldn’t be here. She would watch the kids. They came a few times when they were little, but as they got older and started doing more things, it became tough for them to come out. I’m glad she was able to come to this one with the boys.”
Saturday’s moment for Netzel also was amplified by the setting in Reno.
“Reno is cool because we had seen it first in a movie – ‘Kingpin’ – and it’s always fun to tell people that’s where we bowled at,” Netzel said. “And, it’s always nice to march down the center aisle. I’m glad 50 happened here.”
Netzel made his debut at the Open Championships during the 1975 event in Dayton, Ohio.
Word of the tournament made it his way, and he’s made it to all but one edition of the Open Championships since his start.
“I bowled in our local leagues and tournaments, and then I heard a group of guys talking about how they were going to the national tournament,” said Netzel, a member of the Kankakee USBC Hall of Fame. “I thought I’d like to do that, too. We bowled in Dayton, and after we were done with that, we went down to Cincinnati to bowl the Hoinke. I thought it was pretty cool, so I kept going. It started as bowling and a vacation, and I’ve looked forward to it every year.”
On the lanes, the 72-year-old has posted his fair share of strong sets at the tournament. His top series took place during the 1986 event in Las Vegas (676 in the team event), and his top showing in all-events was in Wichita, Kansas, during the 1989 Open Championships (1,880).
“This tournament makes you concentrate on your bowling,” Netzel said. “You think you’re good in league, and then you come here and realize it’s a little tougher. We’ve had some good tournaments. They’ve all been exciting and fun, and we have a good time no matter what.”
There was some additional excitement each day for Netzel and his group, too. On Saturday, one of the three teams in Netzel’s group – Cinderella Shoes – took over the lead in Standard Team with a 2,895 total.
Netzel joined in on the striking Sunday, making his own run at the top 10 in Standard Singles. After beginning the set with 193, Netzel rolled strikes on seven of his first eight deliveries in Game 2 to finish with 246. He closed with 212 for a 651 series and currently sits in 12th place.
“Those are the guys I bowl with all the time, so it’s exciting to see them up there,” Netzel said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie in this group, and a lot of those guys came back for my 50th. I really appreciate everything those guys do, cheering me on like that.”
He enjoys playing competitive softball when he’s not on the lanes, but Netzel doesn’t plan to slow down at the Open Championships, either.
“Every five years is a plaque, so we’ll just keep building it up,” Netzel said. “As long as I have my health, that’s the key. If I can stay healthy, I’ll keep bowling because I love to bowl.”
With his 50th appearance concluded, Netzel now has a career pinfall of 80,784 for an average of 183.1 at the Open Championships.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.